Reach Out or Outreach?

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The sisters at Saint Scholastica Convent, our retirement facility in St. Cloud, Minn., have a whole range of community groups that reach out to them: elementary, high school and college students, senior members who perform in groups or alone, and over 100 active volunteers. So much joy comes through our doors and spreads throughout our home here at SSC — we receive so much in kindness and support from those who genuinely love us, and we love them in return.

We begin with the little ones:

  • Barb Wick, a fifth-grade teacher at All Saints Academy in St. Cloud, was one of the first to reach out for the elementary schools some years ago. She started by having students become our prayer partners. They pray for us, come to visit us twice a year and write to us intermittently throughout the school year. Their letters tell us about their lives with an added prayer in the form of an art project or written word, and the sisters reciprocate. Barb retired this past year, and now Mary Orth continues.
  • Each year, all students from St. Wendelin’s Catholic School in Luxemberg, Minn., ranging in age from 4-13, come to put on a Christmas play. They walk in already dressed in their costumes, and they always include the Christmas Story. Principal Bonnie Massmann is now following what Sister Marius Hiltner did every year up until a few years ago when she moved to SSC.
  • Nearly 30 students from St. Katherine Drexel School in St. Cloud come to sing and dance during Catholic Schools Week. They, too, are a delight and make us recall the high energy of our former days.

We move onto the college students:

  • Each semester, several College of Saint Benedict and Saint John’s University (CSB+SJU) students complete 20 hours of service learning as part of their college classes. Our Wellness Center personnel connect with these students and give them valuable experiences while they’re here — we’ve even had several return to do their internships here.
  • The CSB+SJU Irish Dance Club comes to perform a variety of Irish Jigs, sing and play harp music.
  • CSB+SJU nursing students have worked with us for sessions of clinical experience involving primary prevention and health promotion. These students each met with a sister for three consecutive weeks to assess, draw up a plan and evaluate.
  • Benedictine Friends is a program that pairs a sister with a CSB student and provides the opportunity to get to know one another through group and one-on-one activities. Many current Benedictine Friends make their way to SSC to visit “their” sister, and it’s not uncommon to see former Benedictine Friends reconnect with sisters years after they graduate.

Finally, we recognize our active adult volunteers:

  • These volunteers do a whole range of things, including companioning sisters, staffing the reception desk, driving sisters to medical appointments, assisting in the dining room during meals, facilitating activities like Bingo, visiting with therapy pets, filling bird feeders and planting, watering and weeding flowers.
  • The year usually begins with a group of singers called Friends in Harmony. Directed by Lynn Machula, the group is comprised of 12 singers and a piano player. They sing Christmas and winter songs around Christmastime and come again in the summer to sing patriotic songs and other catchy tunes. They are retired but love to come here because the sisters get involved and sing along.
  • We’ve also enjoyed music from the Cold Spring Area Maennerchor, Paul Imholte with his dulcimer instrument, and Dave Cofell with his guitar. Entertainment provided by our groups and individuals provides enjoyment, relaxation and a diversion from our regular routine. It helps us to unwind, foster our social connections and even make us healthier both mentally and physically.
  • It all comes together at the end of the year when the Youth Chorale of Central Minnesota comes with its 100+ high school singers to do an outstanding performance in our chapel. We are wrapped up with an awesome rendition of youth. After they finish singing, they end the season with a White Elephant Christmas Party with their directors in our dining room.
  • Of course, we can’t forget about the many groups and volunteers who visit us throughout the year: Socks for the Soul, the WACOSA Seniors, the Auxiliary Bingo Group, the Daughters of Isabella, the Serra Club, our St. Nick, Santa Claus and Mrs. Claus volunteers, and many others.

For me, reaching out to groups and volunteers effectively involves a commitment, communication and connection. The sisters and staff that live and work here help cultivate an atmosphere of belonging and freedom that lets all of us be who we are so we can contribute our own gifts. To retain volunteers, I’ve found that a solid mission and a good sense of what tasks people can help with and love to do helps them stay.

Marina Schlangen, OSB

This article was featured on pages 14-15 in the spring 2026 issue of Benedictine Sisters and Friends.

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